Gary Bowyer's Unconventional Methods Fuel Burton Albion's FA Cup Ambitions
Gary Bowyer, the manager of Burton Albion, admits his players might think he's "bonkers" at times, especially when he walks into the dressing room with a tennis racket and ball. This is just one example of his unconventional techniques designed to convey messages and tap into the squad's psyche. Every week, Bowyer explores different themes and stories with his team, ranging from bullfighting to UFC, bringing them to life through imagery and props such as dragons and toy tigers.
Boxing Themes and FA Cup Aspirations
During Burton's FA Cup run, which has led to a fourth-round home tie against West Ham on Saturday, Bowyer has leaned into boxing, particularly the legacy of Mike Tyson. "The theme for this week is The Ultimate," he says, referencing Tyson's 1987 bout with Tony Tucker to become the undisputed heavyweight champion. Bowyer explains, "We've created this idea of climbing into the ring, the pitch, and away you go. We're fighting West Ham and we're going to have to take some blows. What do you do if you get knocked on to the canvas? Get back up or lay there and take it?"
In an hour-long conversation after training at St George's Park, the Football Association's hub in Staffordshire, it becomes clear that Bowyer's methods are deeply rooted in psychology and performance enhancement. His coaching approaches are the subject of an academic research paper by Dr Matthew Smith at the University of Winchester, initiated by Bowyer's performance coach, Chris Martin. "We talk about trying to enhance performance, establishing different themes to build emotional attachment. Some of them have been brilliant and really powerful. It has been very positive," Bowyer notes.
Burton's Cup History and Cultural Fun
Burton Albion hope to reach the last 16 of the FA Cup for the first time in their history. One of the club's greatest days came in 2006 when, as a non-league side, they earned £800,000 from a third-round replay against Manchester United, funds that helped pay for their Pirelli Stadium. To combat forecast freezing temperatures, the pitch will remain under a heated cover until just before kick-off. In the 2018-19 season, they reached the Carabao Cup semi-finals, though Manchester City dominated with a 9-0 first-leg win.
Bowyer learned from "genius" Brian Clough Sr the art of simplicity and the importance of having fun. For instance, during the World Darts Championship, Burton's squad participated in an in-house oche event, with players dressing up in fancy costumes, adopting stage names, and selecting walk-on music. Pat Lyons, Bowyer's assistant, chose to dress as Del Boy. "I was the MC," says Bowyer. "We're a unique club and you develop a culture in different ways. We all talk about values, but you've got to enjoy it. Sometimes it is all taken far too seriously, the reaction of fans towards managers these days ... just diabolical."
Motivational Tactics and Family Connections
After securing League One status last season from a seemingly impossible position—bottom and 11 points from safety with four months left—Bowyer played the theme tune from The Great Escape to his squad. This season, with Burton back in a tight relegation battle, Kasabian's Underdog has become an anthem. "When I took the job people said: 'What are you doing? It's impossible, they're relegated.' We stayed up with a game to spare. So, anything's possible," Bowyer asserts, though he jokes about needing new material, having recently quoted from Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels to players unfamiliar with the film.
Bowyer recalls fond memories of watching the FA Cup on Grandstand as a boy, and he gives his father, Ian Bowyer—a staple of Brian Clough's legendary Nottingham Forest side—a bit of stick for never getting past the third round. "I remember him going to church one week. My mum went religiously but that wasn't him. 'Where's Dad?' 'He's gone to church.' 'Why?' 'To try and get a bit of help to get past the third round.' I think they got beat in a replay by Newcastle ... I give him a bit of stick, but obviously he trumps me by saying: 'Well, go and have a look at my double European Cup medals,'" Bowyer shares with a smile.
Preparations for West Ham and Personal Touches
In the lead-up to the match, Bowyer has drip-fed his squad clips of FA Cup upsets, including AFC Wimbledon beating West Ham and Stevenage shocking Aston Villa, featuring Burton defenders Toby Sibbick and Terence Vancooten. He stresses the need for his players to "box clever" against a side 47 places above them in the football pyramid. During training, he pauses a small-sided game to ask, "How did that feel? Intense? Tight? It's going to be like that on Saturday." Later, he runs an attack versus defence drill, emphasizing that "there will be times you're going to have to suffer," and has players practice suffocating space on the wing in preparation for West Ham's Adama Traoré.
Bowyer reached the FA Cup quarter-finals with Blackburn in 2015, losing to Liverpool in a replay, and he smiles recalling a third-round replay against Manchester City where Sergio Agüero scored immediately after being substituted on. A few weeks into his job at Burton, Bowyer moved the squad's base to the stadium for gym sessions and meetings, enhancing team cohesion. As he poses for portraits, he reveals he has ordered Super Bock and Sagres beers to make West Ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo feel at home post-match, a gesture reminiscent of offering Chilean wine to Manuel Pellegrini in the past.
Adjusting his stance, Bowyer notes, "I better take my hands out of my pockets; Brian Clough would tell you off for that." He then heads off to finalise tickets for his 15 family and friends, including his five-year-old son, Leo, a Liverpool and Mohamed Salah superfan. When Burton's match at Exeter was postponed in November, Bowyer took Leo to his first game: Forest's 3-0 win at Anfield, where he sat on his hands in the home end. "I've tried to convince him Forest is his team, but he's not having any of it," Bowyer laughs, adding that his daughter and granddaughters will also attend, highlighting that "the FA Cup is about creating memories."
